Senators Joni Ernst (R-Iowa) and Gary Peters (D-Michigan) are working together to form the first ever Senate Motorcycle Caucus. The senators, both avid motorcyclists, have formed this caucus to represent the rights of bikers and motorcycle manufacturers.
Both senators have been riding since childhood. Ernst recalls delivering messages to her father via motorcycle and riding her bike through Iowa with friends and family. She has expressed her pride to be co-chair of the newly formed Motorcycle Caucus. In her role she will encourage discussion and promote solutions that will affect bikers and manufacturers alike.
Senator Gary Peters purchased a motorcycle at the young age of 11 and has been riding ever since. He seeks to advocate for the rights of bikers and promote safety concerns and manufacturing. This bipartisan caucus represents a significant first step towards changing motorcycle laws and acceptance throughout the country.
As more and more motorcyclists hit the roads, laws seem to be lagging behind. Worse, some drivers seem resentful of sharing the road with bikers. Aggressive behaviors by drivers put bikers at risk of injury and even death. The caucus will seek to promote acceptance of bikers through appropriate laws addressing safety and biker rights.
There is currently a Congressional Motorcycle Caucus in place, however this represents the first efforts of senators to create a similar caucus. The Congressional Caucus was founded on June 26, 2009 by Michael Burgess (R-Texas) and Gabrielle Giffords (D-Arizona). It’s currently run by a bipartisan group of 11 members of Congress. Through their mission statement, they encourage “drivers of cars, SUVs and other vehicles to be aware of motorcyclists and to always look out for motorcyclists on the road. The caucus aims to improve public knowledge of motorcycle issues, promote safety on the roadways, and encourage Americans to enjoy responsible motorcycle riding.”
At Kass & Moses, we support the efforts by the leaders of our country to support bikers throughout the United States. We encourage our representatives to continue to push for the rights of bikers, motorcycle safety, and the acceptance of motorcycles on our roadways.
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